Top 10 Television Show Episodes Remembered for One Scene
Some episodes in television are memorable for their creative script design, original plot, and general acting. Others are memorable for just one scene.
Here are some. Of course, feel free to add your own.
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The Seizure-Causing Light Show - Electric Soldier Porygon - Pokémon
While Pokémon was an awesome anime in its first season, who can forget that infamous episode Electric Soldier Porygon? In this episode, Team Rocket tries to steal trainers' Pokémon by using a stolen Porygon inside the Poké Ball transfer network. The episode is most infamous for its light show where Pikachu shocks an antivirus. This caused an explosion where the screen flashed red and blue very rapidly, causing 685 Japanese viewers to be taken to the hospital via ambulance.
Needless to say, the episode was never aired again. Although the episode can still be watched online if you know where to look, just be careful what you're getting into.
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Will's Unscripted Breakdown - Papa's Got a Brand New Excuse - The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Considered by many to be the saddest moment in sitcom history, this episode sees Will Smith reunited with his father, Lou Smith (played by Ben Vereen), after being away for 14 years. The majority of the episode shows the two finally reconnecting after so long apart, despite Uncle Phil's warning about Lou leaving again. However, at the end of the episode, Phil's worries come true as Lou walks out on him again like he did 14 years ago.
Heartbroken, Will goes on a tirade about how he was able to get by without his old man before crying into Uncle Phil's arms. If you listen closely, you can hear someone crying backstage. Even many years later, this scene can still bring tears to even the driest of eyes.
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One Beer - Elephant Issues - Tiny Toon Adventures
In this episode, Tiny Toons tried to deal with serious issues such as illiteracy, bullying, and alcoholism. The first two segments, entitled "Why Dizzy Can't Read" and "C.L.I.D.E. and Prejudice," handled their subjects quite well. "One Beer," however, dropped the ball big time. Buster, Plucky, and Hampton decide to take a swig of beer and become alcoholics, eventually driving a stolen police cruiser off a mountain. While their so-called deaths were fake, many viewers were put off by this, and the episode never aired in syndication again.
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The Ultimate Opening - Treehouse of Horror XXIV - The Simpsons
While this episode of The Simpsons had some memorable skits, such as Oh, the Places You'll D'oh!, the real star of the show was the almost three-minute couch gag by director Guillermo del Toro, who directed Pan's Labyrinth. It crammed in so many references to horror films and books, old and new, that YouTube user New Trailer Buzz had to make a video to reference them all - or at least all that we know.
It also paid tribute to horror book writers such as Edgar Allan Poe and, of course, Stephen King and The Shining. There's even the Hypnotoad from Futurama, because why not?
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The Fonz Jumps Over a Shark - Hollywood: Part 3 - Happy Days
I don't know how I missed this. There's really not much to be said here.
And that's where the term "Jumping the Shark" got its name.
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Kendrix's Onscreen Death - The Power of Pink - Power Rangers Lost Galaxy
While Power Rangers has always been criticized for being too violent for a kid's television show, The Power of Pink definitely pushed some boundaries. In the previous episode, "To the Tenth Power," we see the Lost Galaxy Power Rangers teaming up with the Space Power Rangers after the Psycho Rangers return. In an epic battle, the Power Rangers manage to defeat the Psycho Rangers, but Psycho Pink survives.
Using the Savage Sword, she destroys Cassie's Morpher and creates a vortex to sap away Cassie's life force. Kendrix makes the ultimate sacrifice by going into the eye of the vortex and destroying the Savage Sword, thus saving Cassie, but she is killed in the blast. The reason for this was because Valerie Vernon was diagnosed with leukemia and had to quit the show for treatment. While she was able to recover and return for the final episode, this was one scene viewers wouldn't forget.
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Joffrey's Death - The Lion and the Rose - Game of Thrones
How many fans of Game of Thrones hated Joffrey Baratheon? Quite a few. Joffrey was meant to be the bridge between House Lannister and House Baratheon, but this spoiled brat's tyranny knew no bounds. He went back on his promise not to have Ned Stark executed, constantly abused his fiancée Sansa, and ridiculed his uncle Tyrion.
In the second episode of Season 4, Joffrey finally gets his just desserts when he drinks his wine after it was laced with poison. This left many fans satisfied. Sadly, he wasn't the worst tyrant in the show.
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It's Over Nine Thousand - The Return of Goku - Dragon Ball Z
Probably the most famously memed scene in anime. After many episodes of intense fighting between Nappa and the combatants defending Earth, it comes down to just Gohan, Krillin, and Piccolo after Yamcha, Chiaotzu, and Tien are defeated. Just before Goku arrives, Piccolo takes a blast of energy meant for Gohan, fatally wounding him. After seeing what's become of most of his friends, Goku powers up in anger, and Vegeta crushes his scouter in disbelief as he screams his iconic line.
Here's a fact not too many people know yet: in the original manga, Goku's power level was actually eight thousand. Naturally, it just doesn't roll off the tongue in the same way.
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Luna's Crush is Revealed - L is for Love - The Loud House
The moment revealed that Luna's crush, Sam, is actually a girl.
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The Lewd Musical Number - The Mask of Matches Malone! - Batman: The Brave and the Bold
In this episode of an otherwise goofy take on the Caped Crusader, akin to the 1960s show starring Adam West and Burt Ward, Bruce Wayne develops amnesia and thinks he's a gangster, adopting the persona Matches Malone. This leaves Black Canary, The Huntress, and Catwoman to go after Two-Face. The trio finds themselves on stage in front of Gotham's criminal underworld at the Double Decker Club and decides to sing their way out.
This episode first aired in Australia before coming to North America, and many people believed the song to be too inappropriate for the target audience. Therefore, a lot of the song had to be edited before it aired in North America.
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Gordon Ramsay Walks Out - Amy's Baking Company - Kitchen Nightmares
After Gordon Ramsay launched his reality show "Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares" in the U.K. in 2004, it was brought to the United States in 2007 to help struggling restaurant owners get a new chance at success. But one episode stands above the rest: Amy's Baking Company. Filmed in December 2012 and aired on May 10th, 2013, it became infamous for being the first (and so far only) episode where Ramsay has to walk out. After the usual taste testing and dinner service, Ramsay confronts the owners, Amy and Samy Bouzaglo, about the issues, only for Amy to lash out at him. Realizing that Amy has no intention of listening to anything Ramsay has to say or changing her ways, Ramsay is left with no other choice but to give up and walk away. The restaurant closed on September 1st, 2015, and as of this posting, is now an art studio for children. As for the couple, they moved to Israel in 2018, only for Amy to file for a divorce when she moved back to the United States in 2022 and continues to post on social media.
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The Honest Cigarette Commercial - Inherit the Wheeze - Pinky and the Brain
While Pinky and the Brain offers light-hearted humor, this episode doesn't pull any punches when it comes to cigarette addiction. After Brain develops an addiction to smoking, his plans to take over the world are ruined by his filthy habit. He then heads to the Paul Bunion Tobacco Company so he can steal the test results that prove cigarettes are addictive and show them to the world and be proclaimed a hero. But ends up working with them to promote their cigarettes. Thankfully, he comes to his senses and shows people the aftermath of cigarette addiction during a live broadcast. Probably the most memorable part of this episode is the Lumberjack Cigarettes commercial where it tells the truth about cigarettes. Fun fact: this episode won a PRISM award for it's anti-smoking message.
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Aaaand It's Gone - Margaritaville - South Park
In this episode, Randy tries to teach Stan the importance of saving money and takes Stan down to the bank to deposit $100. The banker then invests it in a money market mutual fund, where he explains that Stan's money disappeared after speaking this iconic line.
The whole episode is basically a parody of the economic downturn during the late 2000s, how people should cut out the luxuries, and even throws in a scene mimicking Jesus Christ's Last Supper with his disciples. However, this one scene has made it into meme history, and this is the one scene people will remember about the episode.
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Pingas - Booga-Mania - Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog
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The Toe Nail Scene - House Fancy - SpongeBob SquarePants
If it wasn't for this scene alone, nobody would remember the episode.
The one thing that makes House Fancy somewhat relevant. Blegh!
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Phone Sex Scene - Canned - Rocko's Modern Life
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Lois' Divine Macromastia - I Dream of Jesus - Family Guy
If you're not familiar with the term, macromastia is a condition where a woman's breasts grow to massive size. In this episode, the Griffins visit a 1950s-themed diner, and Peter takes the Surfin' Bird record and gets addicted to it. This causes Stewie and Brian to snap and destroy the record. After searching all of Quahog for another copy, he finds the one and only Jesus Christ running a music store, and the two become fast friends.
At the dinner table, Jesus turns everyone's dinner plates into desserts. Peter then asks Jesus for a favor, and we see Lois' breasts grow to massive size. What more needs to be said?
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Madeline Gets Her Appendix Removed - Madeline - Madeline
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Violin Girl Jumpscare - Courage in the Big Stinky City - Courage the Cowardly Dog
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Jackass: Gorilla Edition - Animals - Funniest Pets and People
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Caillou's Circus Tantrum - Caillou Joins the Circus - Caillou
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The Horsefly Close-Up - Wormy - SpongeBob SquarePants
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The Flaming Moltres - The Fortune Hunters - Pokémon
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How Deliciously Moist - Randall's Reform - Recess
When Randall overhears T.J. and his friends contemplating what they want to do with the $100 bill they found, he rubs his hands together, looks at the camera, and exclaims, "How deliciously moist."
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Return the Slab - King Ramses' Curse - Courage the Cowardly Dog
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You're Not Perfect - Perfect - Courage the Cowardly Dog
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Corpse Puppets - The Great Fusilli - Courage the Cowardly Dog